In 2021, Google introduced Project Green Light with the objective of mitigating pollution levels and enhancing traffic flow at intersections in various cities. Recently, Google has unveiled new AI-powered features to enhance the project's effectiveness. Yossi Matias, Vice President of Engineering and Research at Google, shared that early data indicates the potential for a significant impact, with up to a 30% reduction in stops and a 10% reduction in emissions at these intersections.

Matias further disclosed that Green Light is currently operational in 70 intersections spanning 12 cities, from Haifa to Rio de Janeiro to Bangalore. He noted, "In the intersections where Green Light is already live, this can save fuel and lower emissions for up to 30 million car rides monthly." This advancement represents a significant step towards reducing environmental impact and improving traffic efficiency in urban areas.

How does the project work?

Google leverages AI and Google Maps driving trends to create models of traffic patterns, offering recommendations for the optimization of current traffic light plans. The process is highly efficient, with Google claiming that it takes less than five minutes for city engineers to implement these recommendations. Yossi Matias explained that the optimization doesn't focus solely on one intersection but coordinates with several adjacent intersections to create a synchronized flow of green lights. This approach enables cities to enhance traffic flow and further reduce the emissions associated with stop-and-go traffic.

Yossi Matias detailed the AI-driven approach Google employs for Project Green Light. Google constructs an AI model for each intersection, encompassing details such as the intersection's physical structure, traffic patterns (including the dynamics of starting and stopping), the scheduling of traffic lights, and the interactions between traffic and these schedules. Using this model, Google then develops AI-driven optimizations and provides recommendations to city engineers. 

He offered an illustrative example of how this process functions: "We might identify an opportunity to coordinate between intersections that are not yet synchronized and offer recommendations regarding the timing of traffic lights to enhance the flow of traffic along a stretch of road."

Notably, Project Green Light has been implemented in several cities in India, including Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, contributing to improved traffic flow and reduced emissions in these urban areas.